Big 3 a man short

Monday

May 21, 2012 at 12:01 AMMay 21, 2012 at 4:38 PM

Tonight's Game 5 at TD Garden should have been a close-out game, should have been the night when the Boston Celtics send the Philadelphia 76ers packing for the summer and start enjoying some much-needed rest in preparation for the Eastern Conference Finals.

TIM WEISBERG

Tonight's Game 5 at TD Garden should have been a close-out game, should have been the night when the Boston Celtics send the Philadelphia 76ers packing for the summer and start enjoying some much-needed rest in preparation for the Eastern Conference Finals.

After walloping the Sixers in Game 3 in Philly, the Celts came out on a 9-0 run and led by as many as 18 points in the third quarter of Game 4. The Sixers couldn't hit a shot, they kept coughing the ball up and the Celtic defense was at its championship level. But somehow, the Celts managed to do what they've woefully done too many times in recent memory — they played down to their opponent. Soon, the tides were turned and the Sixers pulled out an inspired, confidence-building come-from-behind victory that is sure to have them fired up coming into tonight's game.

When the Celtics blew them out in Game 3, the Sixers had plenty of reasons to explain why — they were letting Kevin Garnett dominate in the paint, letting Paul Pierce get to the free-throw line, and weren't getting enough offense out of Andre Iguodala. They were able to fix much of those problems in Game 4, holding Pierce to just four free-throw attempts and utilizing Lavoy Allen more as KG shot just 3-for-12 from the field. Meanwhile, Iggy put up just 16 points, but came up with two crucial buckets late in the game for the win.

Now, the Celtics were the ones left looking for explanations — and they're not easy to find. Why would a team come out so hot, only to finish shooting the ball so woefully? How can they have their foot on the Sixers' throats so often, yet fail each time to step down with all their might?

Much like their baseball counterparts, Boston needs a closer.

The guy who usually does the job, Ray Allen, can't even seem to get out of the bullpen. With Avery Bradley taking over the starting role late in the regular season as Allen battled through his ankle injury, the idea was that Ray was supposed to be the instant offense off the bench in the playoffs. Instead, after scoring 17 points in Game 1 of the series, Allen has tallied just eight points in the last two games — playing more of a decoy role. He put up just one shot in Game 3, marking only the second time in his career in which he attempted just one field goal in a game. The other, against Orlando in January of 2006, was only because he was ejected in the second quarter after fighting with future teammate Keyon Dooling.

"The rhythm for me is to just make sure I plug in any holes that I can," Allen told reporters. "It's clear that they're trying to take me out of the game if not the series, offensively, so I've got to find the opportunities to help this team win."

Allen is fighting through the pain, and will have surgery in the offseason to remove bone spurs from the ankle.

"I don't make any excuses for it," Allen said. "If I'm out there on the floor, I have to give 100 percent effort for it if I can. It's nothing that I talk about. If I can't do it, I won't play."

But has he been able to give 100 percent? For the first time in recent memory, many of the fan sites for the team have actually seen "Sit Ray" discussions pop up on their forums. The argument is that he's actually a liability on the defensive end, and with how easily the Sixers have shut him down, he's unable to give anything offensively, either — and that includes those "closer" shots that usually serve as the nail in the coffin late in close games.

"Even the shots he's had, they haven't gone in," Celtics coach Doc Rivers told the media. "They are not leaving him. That makes it difficult. I don't know health-wise if he's able to get away from guys, either. That combination has made it very tough."

Sixers coach Doug Collins said, injured or not, shutting down Allen is still a top priority for his team defensively.

"Ray Allen, he's a threat to throw up 20 points any time," he said. "When he's on the floor, you have to space him differently. He takes away some of your help because you have to shade him a little bit more than you do somebody else."

Allen may have to return to the starting lineup at some point as well, if Bradley's left shoulder keeps dislocating, like it did in Game 4. Bradley and trainer Ed Lacerte are able to keep fixing up the shoulder Martin Riggs-style, but sooner or later it's going to pop out and be a lot more painful once it goes back in. Rivers acknowledged the shoulder has dislocated at least four times this season, and that it could keep Bradley off the court sooner rather than later.

"A lot of people would not be playing, and the only reason he is is because he wants to," Rivers said. "I am concerned at some point that he may not be able to anymore. We don't know what game that is. ... (tonight) could be his last game."

But as Allen fights his way through his own injury, the same could be said for him. Yet with the series tied 2-2 and the Celtics desperately needing to make a statement against the Sixers tonight, it's a safe bet that Ray is going to have a better night than he has recently. He may not return to his role of "the closer," but the Celtics would appreciate any relief he can give them.

Tim Weisberg covers the Boston Celtics for The Standard-Times. Contact him at timweisberg@hotmail.com